


Unless You Mean It

by kelleigh (girlfromcarolina)



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Birthday Presents, Comment Fic, Fluff, Jared Deserves Nice Things, M/M, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 14:03:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7576810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlfromcarolina/pseuds/kelleigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Jensen's help, Tahmoh plans a grand gesture for Jared's birthday, the first one they'll be celebrating as a couple. Jared, however, takes Tahmoh's nervousness to mean something completely different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unless You Mean It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dugindeep (hotsauce)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotsauce/gifts).



> Written for Jared's Birthday Comment Meme on LJ. Original prompt went as follows: _It's the first birthday of their new relationship and Tahmoh wants to show Jared how much he cares._

“He’ll love it.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“Seriously,” Jensen insists, eyeing Tahmoh from across the table in their favorite cafe. “He’s going to flip out.”

Tahmoh isn’t convinced, no matter how many times Jensen reassures him. Though, if anyone can call themselves an authority on Jared, it’s his best friend.

“It’s just that we didn’t get together until a month after his birthday last year, so this is a big deal. I want it to be perfect.”

Jensen laughs. Tahmoh is surprised that he’s still willing to put up with Tahmoh’s insecurities when it comes to Jared. He has been freaking out about his present for weeks, knowing that it could make or break his relationship with Jared. Yeah, it’s that important.

“Let me be totally honest.” Jensen leans forward and Tahmoh mirrors his movement, keeping the conversation between the two of them in the crowded lunch-spot. “You know all about Jared’s family. After they kicked him out, there was no one to make a big deal out of his birthday. He had his friends,” Jensen adds, “but we were broke med-school students for a long time. We love him, but we couldn’t celebrate his birthday the way he deserved. Trust me when I tell you that he’s going to love a grand gesture.”

Ending the discussion there, Jensen returns to devouring his chicken sandwich with the zeal of a man who hasn’t eaten all day. Letting his own lunch sit, untouched, Tahmoh goes over the plan in his head. Repeating it to himself to make sure he’s covered every detail. Jensen’s words go a long way towards tempering his hesitation, but he can’t help thinking he’s way out of his depth, here.

By the time Jensen pays (Tahmoh picked up the check last time), Tahmoh’s back to being a nervous wreck. He keeps his mouth shut, however, and pretends like everything's fine. Because Jensen’s patience is bound to run out sometime, and Tahmoh doesn’t want to be the one who pushes his friend over the edge.

~~~~~

Tahmoh hears Jared letting himself into the house around nine p.m. at the end of another long shift at the clinic. Jared stopped going back to his own apartment two months ago, preferring instead to make good use of the set of keys Tahmoh gave him to mark their six-month anniversary. Tahmoh figures it’s a foregone conclusion that Jared won’t be renewing his lease when it expires at the beginning of Fall.

So long as everything goes according to plan tonight, that is.

“Tell me you have food,” Jared groans by way of a greeting, although he does swing past the couch on his way to the kitchen, bending to give Tahmoh a kiss on the forehead.

“Veggies and Thai noodles okay?” Tahmoh asks, standing to follow his boyfriend into the kitchen. “It should still be pretty warm.”

The contented sound Jared makes as he picks up the closest take-out container brings a smile to Tahmoh’s face.

Trying to keep a mouthful of spicy noodles from slipping out, Jared says, “It’s like you read my mind.”

Tahmoh watches him eat, grinning so hard that his cheeks hurt. His life has changed drastically since Jared came into it, and he wouldn’t take back a single thing. None of the late nights, 3 a.m. pages, or stress that comes with dating a man as dedicated to his work as Jared is can compare to the sheer joy of having him in his life. He’s goofy, compassionate, and brilliant, not to mention the best kisser Tahmoh has ever met, and exactly what Tahmoh needed.

He doesn’t even want to think about what his life would look like if Jensen had never introduced Tahmoh to his best friend from medical school nearly one year ago.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Jared asks, a forkful of noodles paused halfway between the container and his mouth. “Should I be using a bowl?”

Tahmoh laughs. “Only if you want to wash it when you’re done.”

Jared resumes eating, and Tahmoh knows without asking that he probably skipped lunch in order to see a few extra patients. He has it on good authority (Jensen) that it’s a regular occurrence. Fortunately, Tahmoh has found that taking care of Jared when he’s not at work helps him to feel whole, gives him something he was missing in past relationships. Anything for the man who gives him so much in return.

“Seriously.” Jared has stopped eating. “You’re weirding me out. What’s up?”

Tahmoh takes a deep breath, a gesture that does not go unnoticed.

“You know I love you, right?”

Jared drops his chin, cheeks in full flush. Always so bashful and disbelieving when Tahmoh voices his feelings like this.

“I love you, too, Moh,” Jared responds, almost in a whisper. Then he frowns. “I hope this isn’t the prelude to a breakup speech.”

“Not a chance,” Tahmoh assures him, rejecting the very idea. “I just need you to know how much I care about you, and I know I might be rushing into this…” Nerves hit Tahmoh like a bolt of lightning, causing him to shudder. Jared immediately sets his dinner on the counter and steps to his side.

Tahmoh loses his train of thought when Jared presses close, his equally tall frame lining up perfectly with Tahmoh’s. Never in a million years did Tahmoh think he’d fall for a guy who, standing barefoot, is an inch _taller_ than him. Again, Jared was a revelation in so many ways.

He presses on. “It might be a terrible idea, and you could say no, but -”

“Moh,” Jared interrupts, leaning back into the granite of Tahmoh’s countertop and speaking carefully. “Are you...are you _proposing_ to me right now?”

Tahmoh’s brain goes offline, mouth open yet he’s speechless. His mind is working desperately, trying to come up with a response to Jared’s assumption, but he can’t get over the fact that instead of looking appalled or repulsed, Jared appears _hopeful_.

And isn’t this just the most awesome, surreal moment in Tahmoh’s life? Part of him wants to forget about his plan, tell Jared that, yes, that’s exactly what he was trying to say. Fuck it, Tahmoh knows he wants to marry Jared, and he would do anything to turn the hope in Jared’s expression to reality.

Despite off of that, however, once Tahmoh is capable of forming words again, he uses them to stick to his original plan.

“That’s not… I mean, what I was actually trying to say is that I got you something for your birthday.”

Jared does well not to let his expression fall totally flat, but Tahmoh sees the light in his eyes begin to dim. “My birthday isn’t until next week.”

“I know,” Tahmoh says, hands on Jared’s slim hips, “but you won’t be here.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere.”

“Yeah, we are,” Tahmoh tells him, chest heavy with anticipation. “I’m taking you on a ten-day vacation.”

“You can’t be serious.” Jared tries to push away but Tahmoh won’t let him, knowing all too well that when Jared’s emotions threaten to overwhelm him, he needs the contact. “I know you’ve got a lot coming up at work.”

Tahmoh hates hearing Jared try to prove that he’s not worth the effort. It says too much about the way he grew up, staying with friends until he fought his way into college.

“You don’t have to make a big deal out of my birthday, ‘Moh. Besides, I don’t have any time off, and I can’t…”

Tahmoh puts a stop to his arguments. “You _can_ , Jared. Your boss already arranged it. Ten full days.”

Jared gasps. “How?”

Tahmoh smirks. “You have a very understanding boss who wants to see you have an amazing birthday almost as much as I do. He’s already scheduled your vacation, so you’re mine whether you like it or not,” he adds with a wink.

“What an _asshole_ ,” Jared curses without real animosity. His boss at the clinic doubles as his best friend, after all. “I can’t believe Jensen never said anything.”

“Sworn to secrecy.” Tahmoh didn’t really have to threaten Jensen to keep his secret. He was more than willing to help when it came to planning Jared’s birthday surprise. He went overboard, actually, considering Tahmoh only asked for a week and it was Jensen who extended the break.

A number of emotions cross Jared’s face, Tahmoh trying his best to read them all. A good bit of shock tempered with utter happiness, disbelief that someone went through the trouble to arrange something like this. Tahmoh plans on dedicating himself to making sure Jared sees that he’s worth every bit of their effort. To proving that his life is full of love, no matter what.

“I like it,” Jared finally says, leaning into Tahmoh’s chest.

“The surprise?”

“Being yours.”

Tahmoh can’t help but kiss him then, tasting mostly the spice from the Thai food before getting down to just Jared. Gentle, grateful, intimate, yet holding the promise for more.

Jared smiles, his nose brushing Tahmoh’s cheek. “I can’t believe this is happening. No one’s ever done anything like this for me before.”

“I want to do things like this for the rest of our lives,” Tahmoh assures him.

Jared laughs. “Stop making it sound like you’re proposing to me unless you actually mean it.”

All thoughts of food gone, Jared starts tugging Tahmoh towards the stairs. Tahmoh has a pretty good idea where they might be heading, and his chest fills with warmth. He burns hotter as Jared leads them towards the master bedroom, backing Tahmoh against the mattress and kissing him within an inch of his sanity.

“Moh,” Jared groans as Tahmoh kisses his way down Jared’s chest, “you never told me where we’re going.”

Tahmoh hums against his skin and says, “California. Wine Country. As many vineyards as you want to see.”

He’s barely finished speaking before Jared is hauling him up, happiness in every sound he makes. Tahmoh planned their vacation knowing that Wine Country topped Jared’s list of dream destinations, and he can’t wait to experience it with him.

The last thought Tahmoh has before his mind is totally lost to the pleasure Jared’s giving him, is that a beautiful vineyard in California sounds like the perfect place to propose.

This time, he’s going to mean it.

 

FIN.


End file.
